Mechanism for coating interior of hollow articles



Sept. 9, 1952 C, A, WULF 2,609,788

MECHNISM FOR COATING INTERIOR OF' HOLLOW ARTICLES Filed NOV. 50, 1950 2SHEETS-SHEET l l N V EN TOR. 62401125.5644 /f,

C. A. WULF Sept. 9, 1952 MECHANISM FOR COATING INTERIOR OF' HOLLOWARTICLES 2 SHEETS SHEET 2 Filed NOV. 30 1950 IIMPI,

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Patented Sept. 9, 1952 UNITED MECHANISM FOR COATING INTERIOROF HOLLOWARTICLES Charles A. Wulf, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to CeramicProcess Go., Indianapolis,` Ind., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationNovember 30, 1950, Serial NolQAZB 8V Glaims. (Cl. 11S-56) The presentvinvention relates to mechanism for coating interiors` of hollowarticles. The specific mechanism disclosed and described herein has beendesigned for uniformly coating the interior surfaces of a specificarticle; but it will be clear, as the description proceeds, that themechanism of the present invention is equally applicable to other andradically different forms of hollow articles.

The primary object of the invention is to pro-` vide a mechanism throughthe use oi which a large excess of fluent material, such as enamel,paint, or the like, may be hooded into an article to be coated, thenmost of the excess material may be returned to the reservoir from whichit was drawn, and then the article may be so manipulated, as to achieveuniform distribution Y ci the `coating material throughout its interiorsurface, and to effect at least an initial ldrying and setting of thematerial during such manipulation. Further objects of the invention willappear as the descriptionproceeds.

'Tothe accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention maybe embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings,attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings areillustrative only, vand that change may be made in `the specificconstruction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of theappended claims is not violated.

Fig. A1 is an end elevation of one portion of mechanism constructed inaccordance with the present invention, showing an article to be coatedin operative position therein;

Fig. 2 is a iront elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a iragmental, enlarged perspective view of the means forsecuring the article to be coated in placeon thecarriage of themechanism;

Fig. 4 is an end elevationof another portion of the said mechanism,showing an article in operative position therein;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental perspective View, drawn to an enlarged scale, andshowing an `operative detail of the structure of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental View of the operating parts shown `in Fig. 4, theparts being ina diiferentposition of adjustment; and

Fig. 7 is -a side elevational View, taken from the left of Fig. 4, thearticle to be manipulated having been removed from the mechanism.

Referring `more particularly to the drawmgs, it will be seen that the`portion of the `mechanism illustrated in Figs. `1 to 3 comprises aframe I0 and a carriage II, said carriage :having a `passage I2therethrough, and being provided with aligned trunnions I3 and I4respectively Journailed in bearings I5 and I3 carried on the frame,

the trunnion axis being transverse with respect to the axis of thepassage I2. Collars I'I and It may be fixed to the projecting ends ofthe trunnions i3 and I'tto hold the carriage Ii against movement axiallyof said trunnions with respect to the bearings I5 and I6.

A container I9` for uent material is closed except for an open mouth 2liat one end thereof. Rods 2I and 22 depend from diametrically oppositepoints on the carriage II, and support a spa-nner strap 23 upon whichthe container I9 may rest. Wing nuts 24 and 25 threaded to the free endsof the rods 2| and 22, are adjustable to shift the Spanner 23 axiallyofsaid rods, thereby to press theopen mouth 20 of the container i9 intosealing engagement `with the carriage `II in communicating registryAwith one end of the passage i2. The container mouth or the cooperatingsurface of the carriage I I may be made of, -or coated with, resilientlydeformable material, or a gasket may `be 'interposed between thecontainer mouth and the carriage, whereby a liquid-tight joint isproduced between said carriage and said container mouth.

The article 2t Whose interior is to be coated is formed with opposedopenings 2l and 28. Rods 2t and 33 project upwardly from diametricallyopposite positions on the upper surface of the carriage II, the freeends of said rods being spanned by a strapl heldin place by `.adjustablenuts 32 and 33.' A'clcsure plate 34 'is adapted to cooperate with, andseal, the opening 28 of the article Z. As shown, the specific article 26is so `formed that its opening 28 is disposed in a plane angularlyrelated to the plane of its open ing 2l. For this reason, the closure 34is pron vided, at its edge engageable with the upper side of the opening28, with a pairof depending fingers 35 to hook over the edge of saidopening; and the closure 34 is supported from the strap 3| by means of ascrew 36, threadedly penetrating said strap, and engaging :said closurethrough the mediumof a ball joint 31.

I The container I9 being filled with a quantity of coating material.largely in excess of that necessary for coating the internal surface ofan article 26,is positioned in the manner clearly illustrated in Figs. 1and 2. Now, an article 26 is placed on the upper surface of the carriageI I, with its opening 2l in communicatingregistry with 'that end ofthepassage .I 2 opposite that with which the container communicates. In,any suitable manner, a `liquid-tight joint is `formed between thearticle 25 and thevcarriage I-Ij; and theclosure 34 isengaged with theopen end 28 of the article 26, the

excess of coating material, beyond that required to coat the internalwalls of the article 26, will be returned to the container I9. l

Now the article 26 is removed from the carriage II, and placed in theholder 50 forming a part of the remaining portion of the mechanism` ofthe present invention, illustrated in Figs. 4 t '7 inclusive. Y

This latter portion of the mechanism ccmprises a frame 46 which may beintegral with or separate from the frame I0. Bearings 4I and 42 carriedby the frame 40 support a shaft 43 for rotation about its own axis.Preferably, the axis of the shaft 43 will be inclined at an angle ofapproximately 45 to the vertical, in the manner shown in the drawings.

An electric motor 44, orV other suitable powerdelivering means, will bemounted upon the frame 40, and, through a belt 45, chain, or gear train,will be connected to drive a Speed reducer 46 drivingly connected to theshaft 43.

At its end remote from the speed reducer, the shaft 43 carries a yoke 41comprising parallel, separated arms 48 and 49.

A holder D is supported from the yoke 41, said holder being suitablyshaped to receive and support an article 26. Obviously, for handlingdifferent articles, the holder 50 may assume different shapes. In theillustrated form, a strap 5I is hinged at 52 to overlie an article 26resting in the holder 5D; and suitable clamp means 53 will be providedfor securing the strap 5I in retaining association with the holder 50.

Trunnions 54 and 55 project oppositely from the holder 56 to support thesame, said trunnions being journalled in suitable bearings carried bythe arms 48 and 49 respectively of the yoke 41. The trunnion `54projects beyond its bearing and carries, outboard, a beveled gear 56.

Supported upon suitable brackets carried by the yoke arm 48, alignedbearings 51 and 58 provide a journal mounting for an auxiliary shaft 59upon an axis parallel with, but radially removed frcm, the axis of theshaft 43. At one end, the shaft 59 carries a beveled gear 66 meshingwith the gear 56, and at its opposite end, said shaft carries a pinwheel 6I from which project four equally spaced pins 62.

An abutment block 63 is carried upon a lever 64 pivotally mounted at 65on the frame 40. Intermediate its ends, the lever 64 is provided with aclamp bolt 66 passing through a slot 61 in a plate 68 xed to the frame40. A lever 69, pivoted at 'I6 on the frame 40, is connected by a link1| with the lever 64, said link being pivoted at 12 to the lever 69 andat 'I3 to the lever 64. Thus, the block 63 may be adjusted toward andaway from the orbit of movement of the pin wheel 6I. l

When an article 26, after having been flooded with coating material inthe portion of the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, is mounted inthe holder 56 (which may preferably include an angle bar 16 Aextendinglongitudinally of such CII article, as clearly shown in Fig. 4) it willbe seen that its openings 21 and 28 are entirely unobstructed. When theshaft 43 is now rotated, the article 26 will be given a wobblingmovement, with respect to a line joining its openings 21 and 28. As thepin wheel 6I passes the abutment 63, one of its pins 62 will strike saidabutment, in the manner suggested in Fig. 5, whereby the shaft 59 willbe turned 90 aboutv its own axis. The gears 60 and 56 being of equalpitch diameters, the holder 56 will be turned correspondingly through90, thus shifting the holder, and

the article 26 carried thereby, from the position of Fig. 4 `to theposition of Fig. 6. In the position ,of Fig. 6.a blast of hot air isdirected through the openings 21 and 28 of the article 26 from a blower14; while, in the position of Fig. 4, a blast of unheated air isdirected through said openings from a fan 15.

Upon its next revolution, the yoke 41 will again carry the pin wheel 6Ipast the abutment 63, again to turn the holder 50 through 90, thusbringing the article 26 into a position 180 removed from the position ofFig. 4, so that the blast from the fan 15 again is directed through theopenings 21 and 28. Upon the next revolution of the yoke, the pin wheel6I will again be actuated to shift the article 264 into a positionremoved from that of Fig. 6; while the next revolution of the yoke willreturn the article 26 to the position of Fig. 4.

I claim as my invention:

1. Mechanism for coating interiors of hollow articles, comprising acarriage mounted for oscillation about a horizontal axis, said carriagebeing provided with a passage therethrough formed on an axis transverseto said carriage axis, a container for iiuent coating material, saidcontainer being closed except for an open mouth, means for securing saidcontainer to said carriage with its open mouth in communicating registrywith one end of said passage, means on said carriage for securing tosaid carriage a hollow article having an opening therein, with saidopening in communicating registry with the other end of said passage, acarrier journalled for rotation about its own axis, means for drivingsaid carrier, holder means mounted on rsaid carrier for rotation aboutan axis transverse with respect to the axis of rotation of said carrier,said holder Ameans being adapted to receive and support such hollowarticle with the axis of said article opening transverse to the axis ofrotation of said holder means, abutment means xed with respect to theaxis of rotation of said carrier, and driver means moving with saidcarrier and operatively connected to drive said holder means about itsaxis, said abutment means being positioned in the path of said drivermeans to actuate the latter upon rotation of said carrier.

2. Mechanism for coating interiors of hollow articles, each such articlebeing provided with two opposed openings into its hollow interior, suchmechanism comprising a carriage mounted for oscillation about ahorizontal axis, said carriage being provided with a passagetherethrough formed on an axis transverse to said carriage axis, acontainer for fluent coating material, said container being closedexcept for an open mouth, means for securing said container to saidcarriage with its open mouth in communicating registry with one end ofsaid passage, means on said carriage for securing to said carriage suchan article with one of said article openings in communicating registrywiththe other end of said passage.

said last-named securing means including a closure for the other of saidarticle openings, a carrier journalled for rotation about its own axis,means for driving said carrier, holder means mounted on said carrier forrotation about an axis transverse to the axis of rotation of saidcarrier, said holder means being adapted to receive and support suchhollow article with both of its openings unobstructed, abutment meansxed with respect to the axis of rotation of said carrier, and drivermeans moving with said carrier and operatively connected to drive saidholder means about its axis, said abutment means being positioned in thepath of said driver means to actuate the latter upon rotation of saidcarrier.

3. Mechanism for coating interiors of hollow articles comprising acarrier journalled for rotation about its own axis, means for drivingrsaid carrier, holder means mounted on said carrier for rotation about anaxis transverse with respect to the axis of rotation of said carrier,said holder means being adapted to receive and support such an article,abutment means xed with respect to the axis of rotation of said carrier,and driver means moving with said carrier and operatively connected todrive said holder means about its axis, said abutment means beingpositioned in the path of said driver means to actuate the latter uponrotation of said carrier.

4. Mechanism for coating interiors of hollow articles, each such articlebeing provided with two opposed openings into its hollow interior, suchmechanism comprising a carrier journalled for rotation about its ownaxis, means for driving said carrier, holder means mounted on saidcarrier for rotation about an axis transverse with respect to the axisof rotation of said carrier, said holder means being adapted to receiveand support such an article with its openings unobstructed and with aline joining its openings transversely arranged with respect to the axisof rotation of said holder means, abutment means xed with respect to theaxis of rotation of said carrier, drivermeans moving with said carrierand operatively connected to drive said holder means, said abutmentmeans being disposed in the path of said driver means to actuate thelatter, upon engagement of said driver means with said abutment means,to turn said holder means through 90 about its own` axis, means arrangedto direct a fluid blast through the openings of such an article carriedby said holder means when said holder means is in either of twopositions 180 removed from each other, and other means for directing afluid blast through the openings of such an article when said holder isin either of two positions 90 removed from said first-named positions.

5. The mechanism of claim 4 wherein one of said fluid blast meansdelivers a stream of hot air while the other of said fluid blast meansdelivers a stream of unheated air.

6. In a device of the class described, a carrier, means mounting saidcarrier for rotation about an axis, a holder, trunnion means supportingsaid holder on said carrier for rotation about an axis transverse of theaxis of rotation of said carrier, a shaft journalled on said carrier forrotation about an axis parallel with the axis of rotation of saidcarrier, gear means connecting said shaft to drive` said holder, a pinWheel carried on said shaft, and abutment means, fixed with respect tothe axis of rotation of said carrier and positioned in the path of saidpin wheel.

7. In a device of the class described, a frame. a shaft mounted in saidframe for rotation about its own axis, motor means mounted on saidframe, a driving train including a reduction gear connecting said motormeans to drive said shaft, a yoke carried by said shaft, a holder,trunnion means supporting said holder, said trunnion means being mountedon said yoke for rotation upon an axis spanning said yoke, an auxiliaryshaft, means supporting said auxiliary shaft from said yoke adjacent anarm of said yoke for rotation about an axisV parallel with the axis ofsaid first-named shaft, a drive train connecting said auxiliary shaft todrive said trunnion means, a pin wheel carried by said auxiliary shaft,and abutment means carried on said frame in the path of said pin wheel.

8. The device of claim 7 in which said rstnamed shaft is mounted on anaxis inclined at approximately 45 to the vertical, said trunnion axisbeing substantially horizontal.

CHARLES A. WULF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Haulbach Oct. 31, 1939

